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sub-30 + overvalve plate + turboLiner?

Posted: Tue Apr 04, 2017 3:23 am
by harpdog123
I've often wondered if Jim Antaki's TurboLiner plate design could be applied to the sub-30 to maximize reed performance and eliminate the need for reed embossing. Off the top of my head I assume that 3 TurboLiners would be needed instead of 2 for the extra reeds. Would the Suzuki's welded reeds make it impossible to align the sub-30s with the TurboLiner?

David Pearce

Re: sub-30 + overvalve plate + turboLiner?

Posted: Sun Apr 09, 2017 8:21 am
by Brendan
The Tuboliner only fits Hohner harps, the Special 20 specifically.

I have a LOT of respect for Jim Antaki and always applaud his inventions that I like.

However the Turboliber, while theoretically a good idea to supposedly replace embossing, in practuce just doesn't deliver the microscopic-level closeness that is needed to have any effect.

I've looked at it under a microscope and the gap to the reeds is considerably bigger than you get from embossing - plus it varies from reed to reed. Because distances between reeds vary minutely, Jim had to introduce some 'wriggle room' into the Turboliner to make sure it doesn't snag somewhere on the plate.

The upshot is something that looks pretty from a distance and should work in theory in a perfect world, but doesn't actually do anything on real harmonicas in the real world. Unfortunately...I'd love it if it did!

So the short answer to your main question is sadly "no".